Game: Japanese Rail Sim 3D
Console: Nintendo 3DS
Developer: Sonic Powered
Release Date: 24th December 2015
I had my eye on this game before it was released; a rail simulator on the 3DS through beautiful Japanese scenery was sure to be interesting at the very least, so you can imagine my excitement upon visiting the eShop a few days later to find it reduced by 92% in price to £1. The original asking price of £12.99 was perhaps a little steep, but this reduction rendered the game a bargain and a must-buy. it's on offer until the 7th of January, so grab yourself a deal if you think there's even a possibility of enjoying this sort of game.
The game begins with only Single Journey mode unlocked, showing players the controls and tasking them with making each individual journey on the line, being graded on arrival using the distance from the end of the platform and arrival time as marking criteria. To get an A grade, players must be within 1m of the platform marker and arrive within 5 seconds either side of the scheduled time. This is pretty realistic when you consider how efficiently the Japanese railway system runs, and players are provided with as much help as is needed to achieve A grades.
The controls are simple but a little tricky to master; the d-pad controls the engine, which can be fired up and cut back to control acceleration. The A,B,X,Y buttons control the brakes which can be applied in 7 increasing measures of severity and finally as an emergency brake if needed. There are speed limits which should be adhered to, otherwise a time penalty is incurred, affecting the overall time remaining in top left of the screen, but mostly the game will tell players what speed they should be going to run on schedule.
Once the single journey mode is complete, full course mode allows players to run the entire 14 station route, being marked at the end on how many A, B and C grades they received before being awarded a rank. An A grade on day mode unlocks night mode, which has some stunning new scenery in many places, and an A grade at night unlocks free mode where players don't need to worry about time limits, speed limits or even stopping at platforms.
Graphically the game features many lovely shots of Japanese railway locations, and the 3D works with these well when used. While the pictures aren't exactly HD, they are clearly footage shot on location and they're clear enough for enjoyment to be had without the need to see every last leaf. The game's sound effects are spot on for train travel and it's clear that a lot of hard work has gone into making the atmosphere of driving a train believable. I wasn't a huge fan of the optional background music tracks that are unlockable as they detract from the game's realism whilst driving, but they're nice enough on their own.
Overall Japanese Rail Sim 3D is a fairly impressive and feature packed game which combines the appeal of Rail Sim games with true representations of actual rail routes, and simple controls to present a fulfilling and interesting experience. While I was able to unlock everything there is to unlock within 4 hours or so, I'd definitely return to the game for some relaxation in any of its modes, and there's still challenge despite my hours of practice. The depth and detail of information provided about the route, sights, and trains is a nice addition and really ties the package together well. For £12.99 I'd say it was a solid buy, but at just £1 you honestly cannot go wrong.
Rating: 83/100
Grade: B
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